


orpheus, hold on

by displayheartcode



Category: Young Wizards - Diane Duane
Genre: Angst, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 10:59:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19083658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/displayheartcode/pseuds/displayheartcode
Summary: Doubt comes in and Tom can't shake the fear.





	orpheus, hold on

**Author's Note:**

> fassmember asked: stay awake
> 
> this takes place during wizards at war. the title is from hadestown.

“Stay awake,” Tom urged. He held tight onto Carl’s hand, as if touch alone could keep their memories intact. He felt the shadow of the dark matter looming over them like an executioner’s blade.  _Hold onto me, hold on tight._

The dogs whimpered from the floor. They could feel the end coming. 

Carl stirred next to him. He yawned into the side of Tom’s neck, his voice a series of groans. The TV screen flickered and a wind picked up outside. Such a normal scene that they have had hundreds of time - nearly asleep on the couch with a movie on and the dogs snoring by their feet. Or had they always been sleeping? Tom couldn’t remember anymore. Something in his memories stirred...

 _And he was feeling so tired…_ Already, Carl had surrendered to sleep, and Tom desperately wanted to join his partner. Soon it would be morning and they would be different people in a strange world and so alone...and his eyes began to close...

 _Stay awake,_  a voice said, sounding as though it came from a great distance. One of the dogs pressed a cold nose to his knee.  _Don’t go!_

Tom reached for his book on the coffee table with his free hand. It was smaller now, unrecognizable from the stacks of mass-produced paperbacks they had everywhere. With eyelids heavy and exhaustion in his bones, Tom forced himself to open the book. 

There was a flicker of power left in this world. There had to be.

_In Life’s name…_


End file.
